The present invention relates to an improved aeration system for storage structures intended to provide low cost storage for particulate materials such as grains.
Current state-of-the-art low cost storage structures generally include a fabric cover positioned over a pile of particulate grain material to protect the material from the effects of the weather during the storage period. These storage structures have the ability to store large amounts of grain. Storage structures holding five hundred thousand or one million bushels of grain capacities are relatively common. Grain storage facilities holding over two million bushels of grain have also been constructed. The storage structures have a flexible fabric cover suspended over the stored grain. The grain is initially deposited under the cover. In storing the grain, two problems occur. One problem is to ensure the stability of the large size flexible covers, including during the start-up period, from high wind loadings. Because a million bushel storage unit has a cover diameter of approximately 250 feet, the wind loading can become substantial and damage or destroy the cover.
The second major problem relates to the aeration of the grain pile. A lack of proper aeration results in spoilage or damage to the grain.
The present invention is directed to an aeration system which reduces the possiblity of wind damage to the cover of a grain storage assembly, and which also provides aeration, both during initial filling and after total filling of the grain storage structure.